


Heart Take Flight

by Tears_Scars_and_Heartstrings



Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Brain Damage, Bullying, Caring Scrooge McDuck, Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Insults, Light Angst, Minor Violence, Permanent Injury, Uncle Scrooge McDuck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:40:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24214591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tears_Scars_and_Heartstrings/pseuds/Tears_Scars_and_Heartstrings
Summary: A rough night with troubling information for Launchpad Mcquack leads to him and his boss, the one and only Scrooge McDuck having an important heart to heart conversation.
Comments: 9
Kudos: 46





	Heart Take Flight

**Author's Note:**

> I apologize now for any mistakes regarding medical information. I tried to give some solid research on the subject before writing this but I may have still goofed it.

Launchpad Mcquack sat alone in the McDuck Manor garage, AKA home. He sat at his table with a drink poured in a glass, hoping it would calm the anxiety building in his chest but it remained untouched. He held his head, suffering from yet another painful migraine. The garage lights were turned very dim to help his head. The room was completely silent. A bit odd as there was usually some music or a replaying of his favorite show on. But not tonight. Tonight Launchpad Mcquack's head and thoughts were too painful for any of that.

The richest duck in the world Scrooge McDuck walked in to request his driver a ride when he saw him sitting like this. His smile turned to a frown seeing his chauffeur look this way. Said chauffeur was still holding his head and had not yet noticed his boss standing there for at least a minute.

"Ye alright there lad?" He asked, breaking the silence.

Launchpad flinched at the sudden noise then met his boss's eyes for a moment before looking down.

"I'm just having another migraine. And I'm just...a bit anxious." Scrooge nodded as he knew Launchpad suffered both these things frequently. Even though he desperately tried to hide it from everyone else.

"I need a ride to the money bin real quick but if ye already had a drink then I can call for a taxi cab."

"No. Haven't had one yet. I can drive you. I just... could use a minute," Launchpad said as he took a drink of water and rubbed his temples.

Scrooge looked at him feeling a "vibe" as his nephews described it. He preferred the term intuition but regardless. Something was off. Launchpad wasn't always the best at hiding that heart he wore on his sleeve and gave out so frequently. He could pull a few surprises sometimes but this was not one of them. LP was hiding something. Scrooge sat down at the table across from him. "What's on yer mind lad?"

A guilty look flashed across the young man's face. Busted.

"I promised I'd keep you in the loop about my health Mister McDee but I thought it was too late to bother you with it when I got back this evening," he spoke softly.

"Well. I'm here now. So tell me lad. Has there been a development?"

"Guess you could say that," Launchpad laughed a little grimly.

"I got the results back today from my last doctor visit. It's getting worse."

Scrooge could only stare at the young man. Launchpad was normally so full of spirit he seemed like he was one of the kids. Seeing him here now, sitting alone in a dim room clutching his head with a drink poured made him seem older than he was. And hearing that his condition was worsening made a chill go down his spine. It just...it just wasn't fair.

"Oh lad. I'm so sorry."

"Thanks but don't be Mister McDee. There's not much that can be done but that's okay. You've been a big help for me. Not many people in this city who'd be willing to hire and be so forgiving of someone with a traumatic brain injury."

Traumatic Brain Injury. The words made Scrooge shudder a little. He had known for over 5 years now that Launchpad suffered with something he couldn't recover from. Only manage. But it still shook Scrooge to think about it. It forced horrible images to be seen in his mind's eye. A memory of Launchpad telling Scrooge about how he received such a terrible, traumatic brain injury. The night had been cold. Launchpad had worked for the trillionaire for a year. The longest he'd been able to hold a job. The Scot offered the young man a drink in celebration. A fine Scottish whisky. A toast to Launchpad Mcquack. A driver and pilot originally hired simply because of how cheap he was but ended up being a surprisingly good addition to Scrooge's team. A toast to the past year and many more to come. The alcohol in their systems leading an emotional Launchpad to reveal a secret to his boss.

A secret of a poor but happy child who dreamed of being a pilot. About the awful man who Launchpad called his father. The awful man who one night took his rage out on the child until he nearly killed him. A child who had to spend months in and out of hospitals. The official diagnosis of Traumatic Brain Injury. A mother who felt so guilty for not being able to stop her husband's rage that she worked herself to the bone to provide for her child. About constant trips to the pharmacy that often cost every dime they had. A child who felt incredibly guilty for the burden he now put on his tired and underpaid but still hardworking mother that he constantly tried to fake being healthy again. So what if he had another seizure or struggled in class again today? A child who was constantly bullied throughout his school years. The barrage of insults from peers. The teachers notes that complained of various cognitive and social problems. A lonely child. A struggling child. Stupid! Headaches. Idiot! Migraines. Difficulty focusing. Seizures. Difficulty in social situations. Depression. Faker! Anxiety. Attention seeker! Mood swings. Moron!

A child who's only joy came from a cheap cartoon and time with his mother. 

Issues with attention span. Vertigo. Problem child! Poor judgement decisions. Lack of awareness of abilities. Failure! Struggles with problem solving. Loser!

A child turned teenager who only continued to struggle.

Poor memory skills. Retard! Difficulty with tasks. Dumbass!

A teen who continued to feel guilty for how hard his mother worked. How she continued to work as hard as she had the day he was diagnosed to meet his every medical need. And when she met them she worked harder still to buy him things from that cartoon he loved so much. A teen who stopped asking for presents years ago who cried out of guilt but also love every birthday and Christmas when mother's hard work managed to result in Darkwing Duck stuff. Who felt he could never ever repay the love he was given.

Difficulty with understanding spoken and written words. Difficulty with numbers. Difficulty with well, everything. Dead end!

Likely will not be able to go far in life.

Hopeless!

A teenager who battled every day for the will to even live. Who climbed to the top of large buildings and wondered if the only way he'd ever fly is if he jumped. The winds called his name. The sky between him and the ground tempted him. Come fly! Just get a running start and then jump! You'll fly and then you'll be free! Your heart will take flight finally! You will fly forever if you just jump!

Somehow he always resisted the call. There was many times it was narrowly avoided but avoided it always was. He had to believe that someday he'd fly for real. His heart would take flight for real, once he achieved his dream.

A teenager turned adult who couldn't make ends meet. The rejections from the military, air force of course, over and over again. The rejections from flight schools over and over again. Being told he would never fly. The bosses at dead end jobs who threw him out with insults a mile long. The sneers from peers who said they always knew he'd be a failure. The words weighing on his heart more with every year that he failed. Heart take flight? No. His was crashed, shattered, and burning.

Felt like the only thing keeping him going somedays was the feeling of the wind. It called him still to come fly. And a voice in the wind repeated the words of the hero from that cheap cartoon he still loved. Get. Back. Up.

And he kept getting back up. 

His mother still showed him all her love.

And he fell a lot more times.

Quite literally very often as he was constantly crashing Scrooge's plane. It was amazing he hadn't been fired for it.

His heart felt like it would sink to the bottom of the sea. The sky called to him to look up. Reach up. And fly.

Get back up.

And getting back up brought him here. A child who wanted to fly, now a man who was private piloting for a rich guy. He had the job of his dreams. He had a place to stay. He had food to eat. He could afford his medication and go to the doctor. Heck he even made enough money to send some every month to his mother despite her protests. He was living the dream as far as he was concerned. After so many years, he never thought he'd make it this far. He was ecstatic that he did though.

It felt like a shock to the system for the Scot. He never would have suspected his bubbly but bumbling crash happy driver slash pilot to be holding such a dark secret. A young man with bright red hair and bright eyes and an ever brighter smile he showed the world often...A young man in his physical prime, built tall and muscular like the father who hurt him...He'd have a tough time hurting this lad now. 

Such horrid abuse...It was very fitting however he realized. Many of the odd or foolish behaviors LP had exhibited were not quirks but rather symptoms _. "Curse me kilts I should have realized..."_

"Why haven't ya told me, er, well, anyone at all about this sooner? Surely yer school had te know? Or yer former bosses?

The young man's face fell. "I just...I don't know. I don't want to be babied.

At least if I'm just an idiot in their eyes they don't do that..." He took another drink of the burning liquid. "When people think you're an idiot they just accept it. If there's something wrong with you then suddenly they don't know how to react to you...I have an issue that's never going to go away. All I can do is manage it and adjust. But I don't need to be babied. I just need to be given some grace."

It was shocking to hear this but it made Scrooge feel oddly good? What was this feeling, pride? Yes. That had to be it. Pride. Not in himself of course but in his young man. A young man who faced horrible hardships yet always got back up. Who was unexpectedly strong but still so kind. A young man dealt a terrible hand but insisted on making it work as he could rather than simple fold. This young man was incredibly brave even if he didn't know it.

He wanted desperately to see Launchpad succeed more than he already has.

"Well lad...I appreciate you telling me. Honestly it...it makes a lot of sense. I kind of suspected maybe there was...there was something about ye. But I wasn't sure. Thank you for trusting me with this."

"You're welcome. I guess. Just uh. Figured it was time somebody knew," Launchpad said sheepishly, his face burning. Oh boy this alcohol was really hitting him hard.

"Listen lad. Now that you've told me this. Let me be clear. If you need anything. Anything at all. Please let me know. I don't want something te happen to ye. I hear ye about being babied and I'm not gonna do that to ye. Yer an independent adult like myself and I mightly respect that. But yer health is important. So...keep me in the loop?" Scrooge asked of the pilot. Launchpad's eyes looked a little glossy at that and Scrooge worried for a moment he upset the lad.

"You've got it Mister McDee," he promised.

  
  


Scrooge snapped back into the present day. Launchpad was staring at the table, tracing patterns in the wood.

"I'm sorry...I just..." Scrooge sighed heavily. "I hate thinking about what ye said to me. About how ye got yer injury. Makes me want te run te the prison and beat that man te death with me cane."

Launchpad shrugged. "I appreciate that you care Mister McDee but I don't have the energy to care about him anymore. If he ever gets out of prison, I won't notice or care. He's not welcome in my life."

"Darn right he's not," Scrooge growled lowly. _Note to self: check on that monster's sentence. If he's getting out anytime soon, make sure he never gets anywhere near Launchpad again._ Scrooge decided it was time to change the subject before he became riled up.

"What about your medications? Are they still helping?"

"Helping as they can but nothing can reverse the damage. But hey, I haven't had a seizure in over a year!" Launchpad said trying to lighten the grim mood. Scrooge weakly smiled at him. Ever the optimist. A dark thought crossed Scrooge's mind. It made him frown but it was important. He looked at his young chauffeur.

"Lad, I hate to ask you this but because of what you just said... it's going to get worse. There may come a day where you can't pilot or even drive anymore. Have you... thought about what you'll do next?"

"I've been trying to. It's gotta be something I can do despite my head but also gotta be enough to cover rent. I don't want to move back in with my mom, I've been a burden enough as it is. Never realized how expensive rent is here in Duckburg though. Maybe I'll move to Saint Canard or something..."

"Wait rent? You don't pay rent here Launchpad."

"I know but once I'm no longer able to fly or drive for you then I can't stay here. My conditions for staying here is that I'm your personal driver and pilot."

"Lad, no. Look at me. If ye get to such a point in your health I am _not_ kicking you out, ye hear me? Ye are to stay here."

"I'm not looking for a hand out."

I understand lad. Perhaps we can work out a rent agreement should things get to that. But I believe in you lad. I believe ye still have many years ahead of you before ye'd ever reach the point of not being able te do these things. But. No matter if or when it comes to that. I'll make sure ye have some form of work. And no ye will not be a burden on me! But regardless. I'll help ye lad. Help ye remain independent as best as ye can. Ye and yer mummy too in fact. Yer family."

Launchpad teared up.

"Thanks Uncle McDee." His eyes suddenly went wide as he realized what he said. "Uh I mean uh Mister McDee."

"Uncle eh? I like it lad. Feel free to keep using it if ye want." Scrooge said with a smile. Launchpad's eyes teared up further and finally a few slipped out of his eyes.

"Can I give you a hug Uncle McDee?" He asked timidly. The Scot's smile grew.

"Ah fine ya collosal crasher."

Launchpad hugged Scrooge so hard several of his bones popped and he wasn't sure if it hurt or felt good. Maybe both. Wetness from Launchpad's tears met Scrooge's cheek. He smiled at him warmly. It was a long moment before the large warm arms that held him finally set him back down. He smiled a little sheepishly for his strong emotions but Scrooge waved it away. Scrooge then picked up the glass on the table.

"If ye are up for it, I could still use that ride. And afterwards, I've got a bottle in me office we could crack open. What do ye say?"

"I think I'd like that Uncle McDee," Launchpad said. Scrooge nodded proudly and downed the contents in the glass.

"My goodness lad, I know ye don't drink much but ye've got good taste in Scotch!" Scrooge said with approval.

Launchpad grabbed the keys to the limo and the two were soon on their way to the money bin. Launchpad smiled noticing his migraine had gone away. As he waited for his boss to return, he noticed to that his heart felt like it was flying. It was heartwarming to hear that he was considered a member of Scrooge's family. After all, family means everything to the duck. And it was incredibly relieving to hear that Scrooge was willing to help him if things got worse. Well rather _when_ was more likely but still. He felt very peaceful. Not only had he held a job for almost 6 years now but he was promised help for the future. He would be able to be a pilot for as long as he physically could. And afterward he would still have a place in the family. Not babied. Not left behind. Not called an idiot or a failure or hopeless. He would not be a burden. He started to cry a little again.

He wanted to call his mom with the happy news but he considered the hour and decided he'd wait on it. He'd call her in the morning. The good news would make her day. 

Hmmmmm.

Maybe he should ask Uncle McDee if he could hire his mom sooner rather than later so she could finally leave that awful job she's worked at for so long. He could never repay his mother's love but anyway he could help her he tried. He made a mental note to ask about that as soon as possible. She had yet to meet his boss he realized. But he trusted she'd love him.

Launchpad closed his eyes as he sat waiting in the limo. His mind drifted to his teenage years. He could feel the hard concrete under his feet as he walked across the building roof. The sweet air calling out for him. The feeling of his feet being half on the ledge, half off. The wind blowing his long red hair out of his face so he could see the sky more clearly. He would not have flown if he jumped, he knew now. He would only have fallen without truly knowing flight the way he did now. More than just physically. No father, no school bully, no teacher, no boss, no one could pull him from the sky. He was where he belonged with his family. His future looked bright no matter what happened. And that all was what truly let his heart take flight.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank y'all so so SO MUCH for reading this. Once again my muse busted in the door at an early morning hour crying about a great idea and so came this fic! I really am sorry if it's a bit confusing I wanted to play with the writing style a little as you could probably tell by the way the backstory is written. If anything too confusing or poorly written please let me know so I can attempt to fix it. 😅 Also if I left out any important tags such as any triggers I missed please let me know so I can fix it!
> 
> I hope y'all enjoyed this story, our good guy Launchpad getting some well deserved family love and Uncle Scrooge being a good family man, it's what these two deserve. I may do some more with this idea in the future, I'm considering at least one DrakePad piece featuring Mama Mcquack as well so let me know if you'd be interesting! And again, thank y'all so so so much for the read, comments and kudos are greatly appreciated. I hope everyone enjoyed. Catch ya next time.


End file.
